


You're like a...

by ThatCunningSlytherin



Series: My Fire Emblem Canon (one-shots) [1]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: A-Support (Fire Emblem), F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Older Man/Younger Woman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-03-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:21:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23239861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatCunningSlytherin/pseuds/ThatCunningSlytherin
Summary: My take on the A support between Dorothea and Hanneman.
Relationships: Dorothea Arnault/Hanneman von Essar
Series: My Fire Emblem Canon (one-shots) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1817731
Comments: 5
Kudos: 18





	You're like a...

As Dorothea stood looking out at the horizon the reddening sky reminded her of the blood that had stained her dress after the last battle. She had scrubbed and scrubbed at the stain but neither the stain nor the memory of glossed over brown eyes staring at her from a corpse, could be washed out. She had sat, cross-legged in the washroom alone in the dead of night scrubbing the dress with a brush before dunking it in the water and scrubbing again. The water softened the pads of her fingers, the force of her scrubbing tore holes in the fabric and still she sat, scrubbing and crying. Hanneman had found her there after midnight, he had worried when she had never gone to dinner and followed a vague hint from someone saying Dorothea had wanted to wash her clothes. 

She did not hear him enter the room and she did not see how his casual expression warped into one of terror as he rushed to Dorothea's side. He pulled the ruined dress from her torn and bloody fingers gently before looking at the digits where large bits of skin had torn. While not proficient in healing Hanneman was able to at least mend the skin to stop the bleeding and close it off from infection. Then he held her, they sat together for hours while Dorothea cried into his chest, hiccoughing, nose running; they sat there, Hanneman's arms wrapped around her stroking her brown hair. 

Dorothea looked at her finger pads, remembering going to Manuela the next day so she could properly heal them. There was not a trace of a scar, no hint of a blemish, Manuela had been horrified at the marks before it turned into a rant. "While I am glad Hanneman was there, he shouldn't _really_ be trying to heal you know. He should have brought you straight to me after you hurt yourself, that man I swear..."

That man, Hanneman, her Hanneman, he was worried about her, Dorothea knew, even before that night in the washroom, he had awakened many a night to find her either tossing and turning from a nightmare or crying quietly into her pillow. He had asked her more than once if she would like to step away from the battles, she could work in the healing tents at the edge of the battlefields if she still wanted to contribute. Surely, he would say, the Professor would not force her to fight and kill if she did not wish to, but Dorothea knew it was not that simple. It was over five years ago when she had been taught the dance of rejuvenation; she alone knew its secrets and while she had tried to teach others the results were...less than ideal...

She was sure, like Hanneman had suggested, the Professor would not force her into battle but Dorothea knew how critical her skill was on the battlefield. Even when she wasn't utilizing the magical dance she could heal her comrades on the battlefield whose wounds would have proven fatal by the time they were taken back to camp.

No, she was needed, she had to help, but now...now in light of what Manuela had told her after examining her for any other injuries Hanneman tried to heal, if he asked her again would she still have the strength to say no? Was that why she was taking her sweet time walking through the monastery grounds instead of heading to dinner. Was she avoiding him? That was foolish if so, she could not avoid him forever not unless she wanted to start sleeping in her own bed again. 

Then he was there, walking the grounds looking immaculate as always, she wished she could master his ability to keep his mind clear despite the chaos around them. His mind did not appear clear now though and Dorothea felt a wave of nostalgia. His face reminding her of nights in his office long ago as he attempted to discover the hidden secrets of the Professor's crest. She would sit on one of his couches reading and smiling at his mutters as he flipped through notes and observed how drops of, what Dorothea assumed was, the Professor's blood reacted to various chemicals and machines. She would fall asleep on that couch more often than she did his bed after the professor's escape from the rift but those moments of joy before the world fell to ash were some of the happiest she could remember. As he walked closer his gaze fell on her and his slight frown turned into a smile that worried Dorothea, it was the same smile he used when thinking about how best to ask a crest-bearer how attached they were to their eyelashes.

"Dorothea, my dear, you must be tired from the extended fighting. May I get you anything?"

It was nice to hear him sounding so chipper, it put her at ease and reminded her of happier times. But there was something else in his voice that kept her weary. _Manuela didn't tell him did she?_ No, she did not know about their relationship there would be no point, but if she happened to be talking to the other former instructors of Garreg Mach...

"Thank you, Professor Hanneman, but I'm fine." 

They were alone, but being out in the monastery his title slipped out by habit, their relationship was known to very few people and Dorothea preferred it that way. She worried that if their relationship became widely known Hanneman might become a pariah in the academic community with people accusing him of seducing an innocent student. Absolute nonsense of course, Dorothea was proud to say she seduced him, any chance she had of being innocent died with her mother, and she had never actually been his student, sure she had gone to a few of his magic seminars but he had not been in charge of the Black Eagle house. Lost in thought Hanneman must have misinterpreted her slightly vacant expression as his smile faded and his brow creased with concern.

"You don't appear fine. Make sure not to overexert yourself. The war is not yours alone to fight," Hanneman began, stepping close and taking her hands in his. "You have friends to rely on. We are here for you, always."

His blue eyes were almost pleading with her, he was going to ask her again, he had not since that day in the washroom, perhaps he wanted to catch her off guard. She gently pulled her hands away and turned away to make as if she was more interested in the sunset, the red, red, sunset; she wrapped her arms around her stomach as her green eyes dropped to the ground. She needed to be strong, for both of them.

"Thank you, but I really am fine. It's nice to know you're always thinking of me though." That was true enough while she did wish he would stop asking her to lay down her arms she knew that he only persisted out of concern.

"Well, of course. You're like a...:"

Dorothea's head turned quickly her eyes widening, heart pounding. "Like a what?" she asked eagerly. ' _Lover, partner, wife?_ ' was he about to...

"N-nothing... You're a very good friend. That's all." 

' _Bastard, if he was getting cold feet..._ '

"And once the war is over, I want to be sure you have a pleasant life."

Dorothea's heart was beating faster than a pegasi's wings and she had to wipe the surprise off of her face. She had no idea he was planning this, he had not so much as hinted to her he was planning on proposing. Her thoughts were racing, she would, of course, say yes, but was this too fast? They had only been together a few months before the world went to war and they were separated in the chaos after the battle at Garreg Mach. They had spent years apart and only been back together for seven months, Hanneman didn't seem the type to rush into something so serious as marriage, but given the situation, it might be better for them to get married quickly. 

"Is that so?" Dorothea asked stalling for time. "It sounds like you're getting a little ahead of yourself, planning for the end of the war."

"Ahead of myself? No, I don't think so." 

His perplexed expression confused Dorothea.

"Oh? You sounded like you were building up the courage to give me something." Had she misunderstood him? "Something, um, small and round and ring-shaped?

"Huh?" It took him a full five seconds to register her meaning. Five of the longest seconds of Dorothea's life as her heart sank and she realized her mistake. "A ring you mean? Well, I..."

His face burned red and he stuttered at the end, any other time Dorothea would have smiled and kissed him, he looked so cute when he became flustered. Her disappointment kept her where she stood.

"Oh no. Am I wrong? I'm so embarrassed. I misunderstood." 

Her eyes found the ground again and she wasn't sure if she wanted to cry, this war had taken so many of her tears already.

"Oh my! That's what you were thinking!" His flush faded as embarrassment turned to fear. "I've misled you. I see now I phrased things all... Just all wrong." _That was putting it mildly,_ Dorothea thought, irritated at her own bitterness, it wasn't ALL his fault.

"I had no other intentions, I swear." Hanneman continued as he retook her hands looking urgently into her eyes and oddly his terror at having hurt her feelings seemed to calm Dorothea. "I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

He was too sweet, Dorothea didn't think she would ever be able to stay mad at him. It really wasn't that bad, it was not as though he had been intentionally stringing her along, he just had trouble expressing his feelings about anything other than crests. But still...

"I could forgive you..." Dorothea began putting on her coyest smile, "if you proposed properly. You got me excited, you know."

"I... But I haven't..."

Perhaps that had been a bit much, it was quite possible that he looked more terrified now than he had a moment ago. She knew it was unkind to play with him on this subject but she had already started thinking of where they would have the ceremony.

"It's OK." Dorothea stood on her toes to kiss his cheek. "I'm just teasing. Don't look so scared."

"Teasing." He let go of one of her hands to gently touch where her lips had just been. "Ah. Well, of course."

"It's nice just to know you care about me... Maybe we should talk more about the future... in the future. How's that sound?"

Hanneman looked to make sure none had entered the courtyard behind him before bending down to kiss her chastely.

"Why, it sounds lovely." He cupped her face with one of his hands and Dorothea closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. "Quite lovely."

She smiled, the war was not over yet and there would surely be more red in their future but for now she had him, in seven more months she would have one more to love as well. And maybe that is what they truly were, more than lovers or partners, married or not, they were like a family.

**Author's Note:**

> Only wrote it because the lack of Dorothea and Hanneman fanfiction is a travesty.


End file.
